Ten Speed Author Goes to the Zoo

by Wendy Werris -- Publishers Weekly, 9/11/2008 1:52:00 PM

A book on women entrepreneurs and a newly-born elephant at the Louisville, Kentucky zoo would normally never cross paths, but in the case of Ten Speed Press’s quirky marketing plan for Birthing the Elephant: The Woman’s Go-For-It! Guide to Overcoming the Big Challenges of Launching a Business a synchronistic partnering of the two will begin on October 2.

As co-author Bruce Freeman explains, “It takes about 22 months for a woman to launch a new business venture, the same amount of time as the gestation period for a baby elephant. Both take a lot of very hard work, so zoos seem the perfect place to help women entrepreneurs gain inspiration!” A collaboration between the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO), Ten Speed and zoos from coast to coast, the tour will feature a series of events for women business owners and their kids. Freeman, a nationally syndicated columnist, will be the featured speaker at the seminars. Each event will begin with a “Celebration of Entrepreneurship” breakfast seminar before moving on to the zoo, where their will be educational activities for the kids.

The educational seminars will create cross-promotion opportunities for Birthing the Elephant, NAWBO and the zoos, which hope to draw additional visitors on those days. Additionally, Freeman will be on hand for one-on-one consultations with the attendees. His co-author, Karin Abarbanel, is coordinating efforts between local NAWBO branches and zoos to further increase the number of cities on the tour.

“NAWBO is promoting the events through their extensive media outreach,” Freeman said, “and Ten Speed will arrange for independent bookstores near each zoo to sell copies of the book.” Birthing the Elephant was published in March, and is now in its third printing.

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